


Protect All Idols

by Blinkkittylove, lonelypond (Blinkkittylove)



Series: Idol House [7]
Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: A-RISE - Freeform, Bullying, F/F, Idol House, NicoMaki, OCs - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:48:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26903134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blinkkittylove/pseuds/Blinkkittylove, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blinkkittylove/pseuds/lonelypond
Summary: Kawano Aki's attempts to break up Nico and Maki have caused reprecussions. How will Muse cope?
Relationships: Ayase Eli/Toujou Nozomi, Hoshizora Rin/Koizumi Hanayo, Kousaka Honoka/Minami Kotori, Nishikino Maki/Yazawa Nico
Series: Idol House [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1327637
Comments: 6
Kudos: 17





	1. Coming Up With a Plan

Eli frowned, pushing papers to one side so she could double check something on her laptop. Nozomi was studying, but her books weren’t nearly as attractive as Eli biting her lower lip while icy blue eyes calculated possibilities.

“Nico’s right. We’re in trouble.” Eli sighed, leaned back, rubbing her eyes, blonde hair falling loose.

“Nico’s right?”

“Didn’t you see the text?”

Nozomi shook her head, she’d been in classes all day.”

“Internet bullies have decided to focus on harassing Kawano-san. There’s a producer’s meeting tomorrow. Nico wants to walk in with a 𝝁’s plan.”

Nozomi sat up, “What does Maki think?”

“She hasn’t responded to the group text, but when I asked Nico privately, Maki is furious that people are bullying someone in her name.” Eli’s phone pinged, she read, her face hardening, “Hanayo suggests we demand mental health services be offered to the cast, but she believes the producers will balk at the costs.”

###

Nico was pacing, ranting, hands flying. They were on the Otonokizaka rooftop, Nico had met Maki after school and they’d just headed up there for some privacy.

“Nico wants to be thinking about all the things you’re planning for my birthday, not bullies. If Nico leaves the Idol House, people will blame Aki and things will get even worse and Nico had plans. And made promises and…” Nico stopped, looking tiny, worried, and flummoxed.

Maki grabbed Nico and hugged her, “I know you can’t leave right now, Nico. Making sure we protect girls is what’s important.”

“Eli said she was doing some research; Hanayo suggests mental health counseling; Umi suggests finding a way to involve the parents of the bullies.”

Maki was silent for a moment, and then her voice was soft, “Why’d you do it, Nico? When 𝝁’s first started.”

Nico’s face scrunched up, as if she was about to fly into a raging rant and then she sagged, “Jealousy, stupidity, Honoka being so much more successful at recruiting people…” Nico stepped away, staring at Tokyo, “You were all so eager and friendly and attractive and Nico just felt…”

Maki waited.

“Nico just felt out of step, lonely. And like someone who’d memorized the steps to a dance, but couldn’t do them. You glowed with so much talent.”

Maki couldn’t remember Nico being this honest about her initial harassment of Honoka. The Aki situation must really be upsetting her. Sure Maki was angry, but it seemed to be making Nico sad, and not only because it was having a direct and detrimental effect on their future plans.

Maki sat within reach of Nico, back against the roof fence away as Nico blinked away tears.

“We wouldn’t have won Love Live without you.”

“That’s not true.”

“Without you, I never could have composed Yume no Tobira. A-Rise would have won the regional.”

Nico glanced down, Maki was staring up, eyes as bright and trusting as that night in front of the campfire. And Maki continued, determined to convince Nico, “Without you, no one would have been there to push us to develop idol personas, to be idols even when things weren’t going right, without you, Kotori wouldn’t have had anyone to bounce ideas back. WIthout you, our PVs and promotional materials would have lacked professional polish. Without you…” Maki took Nico’s hand, “there would have been so much less joy.”

Nico sat carefully on Maki’s lap, her face hidden against the taller girl’s shoulder. After a long silence, she whispered. “It’s just so hard to see someone being hurt because of me, because of us. I wanted people to love us, because I love you, but...” Nico had underestimated the fans’ capacity for fierce protectivity. It was scary.

“I know, Nico.” Maki carefully smoothed Nico’s hair, “And we’re going to fix this. We’re 𝝁’s. We win.”

“We do.”

“That’s what I want to hear from the Number One Producer in the Universe.”

Nico giggled, “You’re pretty sharp for a trophy wife.”

Maki squeezed Nico, inhaling the fruity shampoo scent she got lonely for, “I love you, Nico-chan.”

“I love you.”

###

Downstairs, in the Idol Club, another meeting was happening. Hanayo had spun her chair away from the dual monitors. “I don’t think Aki would be successful as a single Idol.”

Umi nodded, “No, that is a lot of pressure.”

Honoka bounced in her chair, “But she’s always finding a way to get more attention.”

Kotori frowned, “But, Honoka…”

“Yeah, she seems a bit desperate. That’s probably why people are picking on her.” Rin’s voice was getting louder, “That’s what they do, they find what you worry about and throw it in your face, to make you run away, and hide and they’re just…”

“Rin-chan.” Hanayo said softly, but Rin was staring at the table in front of her, refusing to look at anyone.

“We got through things because we stayed together.” Honoka stated proudly, “She doesn’t have a group, she must be lonely.”

Hanayo squeaked, suddenly kicking into verbal hyperdrive. “Maybe we should only invite groups, when they’re starting out, that’d be a whole new angle, draw in their original fans to build the Idol House fanbase, grow them with more fans, they’d be working together toward success in the Idol industry together not competing with each other, that’s such a great idea Honoka.”

“What’d Honoka come up with?” Nico sounded curious. No one had noticed the door open and Nico stood there, Maki behind her, hand on Nico’s waist.

“Invite groups into Idol House.” Hanayo’s eyes were wide. “We could do that so easily, Nico.”

Maki had noticed Rin’s mood and decided to sit next to her friend. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a pen, sliding it into Rin’s hand. Rin batted it away again and again, but Maki slowly slid it back every time, poking, until Rin grabbed the pen and threw it down the table, making Hanayo slide out of the way. “Lay off, Maki-chan.”

“Hey, you two are going to hurt someone. Take it outside.” Nico ordered.

“I don’t want to.” Rin seethed.

Umi frowned, after a quick glance shared with Maki, settled her shoulders, “I must agree with Nico. Maki, Rin, take your juvenile behavior elsewhere.”

Rin got to her feet, whining, “C’mon Maki, why’d you have to get us in trouble, You owe me so much ramen.”

“Okay.” Maki said simply as she opened the door, “Let’s go for ramen. Loser has to pay.” And Maki sprinted off down the corridor as Rin roared after her.

“Hey, that’s cheating, Maki-chan!”

“Those two,” Umi clucked her tongue, but her tone was benevolent, “sometimes make Honoka look mature.”

“Hey!” Honoka complained. “I thought we were here to stop bullying.”

###

Honoka couldn’t find Kotori. Umi had gone to practice archery. Nico and Hanayo had headed out to meet up with Rin and Maki, but Kotori had disappeared. She hadn’t said much in the meeting, which wasn’t really surprising, but she hadn’t hung around after while Honoka and Umi discussed what Nico should present from 𝝁’s as investors and co executive producers.

There was one place. Kotori preferred working at home on designs, but she still spent many hours in the home economics classroom. Honoka headed there, running, but a calm run. Umi would understand. Honoka opened the door and Kotori was sitting at the sewing table, stabbing pins into fabric patterns with a painful precision that made Honoka wince. She’d seen Kotori push needles through leather and then failed completely when she’d tried herself so Honoka could imagine the force Kotori was wielding at the pin tips.

“Kotori-chan?”

“Mmmm…”

Honoka quietly kneeled next to Kotori, “Are you okay, Kotori-chan?”

Kotori shook her head, she’d been crying. Honoka reached out, pulling Kotori into a hug, “Don’t cry, Kotori-chan. I’m gonna fix this.”

“How, Honoka-chan?” People are so mean.”

“Yeah, I know. But we know nice ones and I bet they’ll help us.”

“Really, Honoka-chan?”

Honoka smiled as Kotori’s honey eyes brightened, “I promise.”

“Oh, Honoka-chan.” All of Kotori’s weight was suddenly in Honoka’s arms and somehow Honoka managed to maneuver them both to the floor, Kotori half sitting in Honoka’s lap, tears and sniffling all over. It would have been amusing if Kotori hadn’t been so sad. Very gently, as if touching a shy puppy, Honoka reached her hand up, fingers caressing Kotori’s downy tresses. She smiled, Kotori nuzzling closer, softness tickling her chin.

###

Maki couldn’t stop watching Nico’s grumpy face. It was adorable. They were meeting Tsubasa and Nico was less than thrilled that Maki was the person Tsubasa was most likely to agree to do a favor for.

“Hi Maki! And Nico. This is a treat. The Idol Power couple together. For me.” Tsubasa had only gotten cheekier with broader fame.

“I’m just here to make sure Maki doesn’t get talked into writing you another album.” Nico crossed her arms over her chest.

Maki leaned in, “No, you’re here as an Idol House producer, Nico-chan.”

“Oh right.” Nico waved a waitress over, pointing to her and Maki’s usual orders. “What can I get you, Tsubasa?”

“An espresso. And a cornetto.”

“Good choice.”

“So what can I do for you, Maki? Honoka’s text was…” Tsubasa fluttered her eyelids, “rambling.”

“We have a bullying problem.”

“The girl who can’t decide between you or Nico. I noticed that was blowing up. Going to drop her from the show? Probably best.”

“It’s not her fault.” Maki snapped.

There was a pause, then Tsubasa whistled, “She makes a play for your fiancée, then you, and you’re here to get me to help her?” Tsubasa glanced at Nico, “Aren’t you both notorious for jealous flare ups?”

Maki blushed, fidgeting with her napkin.

Nico tapped the table to get Tsubasa’s attention off Maki, “She’s a kid. Being harassed. Trying to make it in the biz. You know how rough that is.” Nico took Maki’s hand, “Nobody’s getting between Maki and me, that wasn’t even an issue. And no one is going to be bullied and harassed if we can help it.”

“Well, I applaud the sentiment, but it’s already happened. What can you do?”

Maki had recovered, although she still kept holding Nico’s hand under the table, “We wondered if you knew any group that could fit a new singer in. No one thinks she’s ready for a solo career.”

“You’re going to promote her?!?!?!? After all that trouble?” Tsubasa pushed her chair back. “And how does that help in the future? Aren’t you setting up a victim culture?”

Nico shook her head, “We made a mistake. We’re going to make some changes. Invite groups so it’s not just girls or guys all scrambling to make it, so there’s a built in support system.”

“And mental health counseling.” Maki added.

“Wow. This is serious.”

Maki spoke softly, “𝝁’s was a miracle. We want to use our name and platform to improve the industry.”

“Spoken like a person with power.”

“Yes,” Maki gritted her teeth, “I have money, my family has power, 𝝁’s has popularity. If I can use those things to help one girl not cry herself to sleep, or worse, I will.”

Nico leaned over to whisper something in Maki’s ear, and the redhead replied in the same low tone, her hand falling to Nico’s knee with a graceful ease. Envy pinged Tsubasa at the casualness of the couple moment. Screaming fans and a date with nearly anyone she asked was a thrill, but something about the quiet, private interludes Nico and Maki had always managed, even on stage or in the midst of a crowd, held a powerful appeal.

“Doesn’t Koizumi-san have any leads on groups looking to expand or replace someone?”

Nico shook her head, “None of those really suit Aki-san. We thought you might have heard some rumors.”

Tsubasa smiled at the waitress who brought her espresso, “Not recently. But I can ask around.” A delicate sip, “But you may have to do me a favor.”

“What?” Nico went for daunting.

Tsubaba shrugged and giggled, “I might take my time deciding.”

Nico snapped a cookie in half, while Maki decided to whisper something that made Nico flush a little. The meeting hadn’t gone anywhere Tsubasa expected. Which was a surprise. What would Nico come up with next? And could Tsubasa top it?


	2. Next Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solutions are decided on.

Nozomi couldn't not stare. Eli, in her sharpest tailored suit, the light blue collar of her shirt accenting her eye color, brought out all Nozomi's interupting urges. But this wasn't high school. Young women's health and reputations were endangered and Eli was in full on protect mode. Nozomi wondered what she'd be like with their own children.

"So you will be messengering a copy of this agreement to Yazawa-san immediately, correct?" Eli's stern look matched her professional tone.

"Of course, Ayase-san."

"She will be handling the details of arranging the volunteer shifts so please assist her with the same courtesy and competence you have shown me."

"It will be our pleasure, Ayase-san."

"Thank you. We look forward to working with you in the future."  
  
"We would be grateful for the opportunity."  
  
The video conference was wrapping up. Nozomi sat up. She saw a slight shift in Eli's posture and giggled silently. Eli was bracing for what would happen next.

"Please give my thanks to your board of directors and staff, Adachi-san."

"I hope we can meet when you are next in Tokyo."

"I will certainly be in touch to schedule that. I appreciate your personal effort to help us resolve this."

After a few more formalities, Eli closed her laptop, and turned her chair to face Nozomi, eyebrow quirked, "So..."

Nozomi raised her own eyebrow, "So..."

"I bet I can guess what you're thinking."  
  
"Really..." Nozomi slid into Eli's lap, "Have you named our children yet?"  
  
"What?" A startled Eli nearly jumped. Unfazed, Nozomi had one armed wrapped around her shoulders, and undid Eli's tie with her other hand.

"You're just so cute when you're in hyper protective parent mode."

Eli blushed. "We're still in college."  
  
Undone buttons, "Then it's good that there's things we don't need to worry about."

Eli would be missing that evening's discussion session.

###

Aki couldn’t decide on a lipstick color.

“Nico-chan said natural was cuter.” Kawano Aki announced.

Harada Mai sneered. “Unless you want a contract as a makeup influencer.”

“Some makeup companies are pushing the natural look.” Ryuen Shizu glanced up from her phone.

Mai leaned over Aki, picking through the makeup. “You went undercut and blonde so skip cutesy and go with vivid red. I like this one.” She handed Aki a lip paint. “Uncensored.”

“Oh you can’t beat Fenty...but Uncuffed will go better at an elementary school.” Shizu glared at Mai, “We’re going out to bring lunches to school children, not clubbing.”

“Whatever.” Mai flopped on her bed, “I say if you’ve got an image, push it. I’m tired of daylight events.”

Aki frowned. No one was saying out loud what the discussion was really about, which was their current schedule of events doing community service, concerts for seniors, tech help for orphans, school lunches to help boost Aki’s popularity.

“So stay here.” Aki snapped, “No one’s ripping into you for having feelings.’

Shizu snorted but when Aki turned to her, she smiled benevolently and shrugged.

“Look, I have rehearsals with the Bokeh Blossoms right after every one of these; it’s exhausting." Mai frowned, "Nico doesn’t go.”

“I don’t mind.” Shizu spoke up.

“You’re too nice.” Mai threw a pillow at the ceiling.

“Nice is always a good look.” Shizu countered.

“Amateurs.” Mai let the pillow fall on her face.

Aki frowned, confronting the array of lip color choices before her. She grabbed a dusty pink GlossBomb and confidently applied it.

Mai sat up, “Compromise. Smart. I like the way it glitters.”

“FU$$Y”

“$uits you.” Shizu giggled; Aki stuck out her tongue. Mai grinned thinking, this conversation would probably make it to the final broadcast edit. It was cute.

###

Tsubasa leaned forward, fingers splayed out over the table as she TwigTimed Anju and Erena. “Nico and Muse have been really clever, setting up this whole Idol House gig. It’s time to get involved.”

“So you want us to set up a mini A-Rise house?” Erena spoke slowly.

“No, too much like copying. We just fix their PR problem for them.”

“How?”

“Find a couple of other girls, maybe 3 actually, so they’re not a trio once we add Kawano-san. We want to avoid direct comparisons.”

“That might be cute.” Anju giggled, “an A-Rise Jr.”

“She’s not a strong singer or rapper.” Erena pointed out.

“No, but she’s a talented dancer. And she’s very vocal.”

“Isn’t that the problem?” Erena countered.

Tsubasa shook her head, “Nico and Muse are idealists. This happened because they leave too many things to chance. We give her the best PR training in the business. She’s sharp and wants to be noticed.” Tsubasa thought about Kawano-san moving from Nico to Maki once she figured out Maki was the better catch. “And she’s got an instinct for glamor.”

“Sounds like a fun project. It’d be fun to costume a different group. There’s looks I’ve wanted to try that won’t work for us.” Anju was already sketching.

“A couple of our back up dancers from the last video caught my eye.” Erena admitted.

“Which just leaves one more girl to find.” Tsubasa smiled, “We can do our management company a favor and take a trick from K-pop and find a Chinese Idol wannabe looking for a group. Raise our profile in that market.”

“Ooohh, I like that.” Anju added a mandarin style hat to her design.

“Very solid strategizing.” Erena nodded.

“As always. I’ll call the management team, Erena, you reach out to the dancers, and Anju…”

Anju glanced up from her sketch.

“Galaxy level cute.”

Anju winked and tapped her nose with the pencil. “Of course.”

###

“B-HOLD!!!!!!!” Nico was shouting and stomping. A pillow that had fallen to the floor got kicked across the room. Maki, an amused gleam in her eye, was curled up like a cat on Nico’s bed in Nico’s former room at the Yazawa apartment, watching Nico rant and storm.

“Tsubasa wants revenge.”

Maki raspberries, “What? For all the flowers.”

“Hey, that was before Nico met you. And Tsubasa tried to steal you. And then you wrote a WHOLE album for her. And now she’s not happy stealing Nico’s girl, she’s gotta steal Nico’s ideas too…”

Nico rushed by, Maki reached out an arm, and pulled Nico in, dragging the grump into a hug, “She never stole me, Nico-chan.”

“An entire album.”

“Nico-chan.”

Nico sighed, “I know. You needed music.” Nico flopped back on the bed, “I’m sorry I didn’t pay enough attention. I just wanted to keep you out of messes.” Nico punched the mattress, “And now we’re in the middle of messy.”

Maki rolled over Nico’s arm, curling up next to Nico, “ “s my fault. I should have talked to you. And I should have stayed out of Idol House. But when Kawano said that…”

Nico heard a growl coming from her fiancee. She pulled Maki closer, dropping her head to rest on Maki’s hair, smelling the soothing coconut lavender shampoo, “Nobody’s stealing Nico either. Ever.”

“I know.” Maki moved even closer, “I love you, Nico-chan." A pause, "It’s so weird being back here.”

Nico glanced around the room. Cocoro had taken it over, kept the pink color scheme, and put up even more posters of Nico than Nico ever had. Maki shouldn’t mind that. “What’s so weird about it?”

Maki muttered something into Nico’s shoulder.

“What was that?” Nico’s fingers slid through the softness of Maki’s hair. Was that a shiver? Nico suddenly felt more alert.

“Your mom’s in the next room. And we’re…”

“Currently very child friendly.” Nico chuckled, “Except for the language Nico is going to use about Tsubasa.” Nico wondered if Maki was blushing. Or thinking about all the times in this room they’d ALMOST...Nico needed to stop that train of thought. Now that they’d...well, Nico had a lot more trouble focusing, especially when Maki was so near and felt so warm...and suddenly Maki’s eyes were...and so luminous and…

###

Tsubasa Kira spoke right to the cameras, winking, seizing the room, flopping down on the couch next to a glammed up Harada Mai and throwing an arm around her, “We would have stolen you from Nico to, but the Bokeh Blossoms will have a really nice set up here while they record their next album.”

Mai bounced, torn between giving Super idol Kira Tsubasa her full attention and following Kira-san’s example and working the cameras. She finally just deciding on grabbing Tsubasa’s arm and squealing, “And Nico has set up meetings with the best makeup and fashion brands. It’s so cool. We’re getting total makeovers.”

“Nico understands better than anyone the value of GOOD publicity…”

The Nishikino media room exploded as Nico flew off the couch, Maki reaching out to pull her back before she attacked this week’s episode of Idol House, filmed two weeks ago, this conversation happening after Nico moved out.

“She didn’t say anything negative, Nico-chan, it’s a compliment.”

“It’s the tone...Tsubasa has it in for me.”

“Tsubasa has been very helpful, Nico.” Umi stated calmly from where she was wedged between Honoka and Kotori.

“Yeah, they set up a whole group to put Aki-san in the middle of.” Honoka added.

"And that press conference," Kotori swooned again, she'd been texting Nico about A-Rise's new look for a week. Nico A-Rise tolerance was currently non existent but Umi had mentioned to Nico the improvement in Kotori's mood so Nico just sent back (*•̀ᴗ•́*)و ̑̑ when Kotori sketched new A-RIse inspired ideas.

“Which got them impressive amounts of positive mentions. Trending topic for 3 days.” Hanayo glanced up from her phone, “Idol House is trending now.”

“Nico Ni needs to trend.”

“Just wait’ll you move in with the” Rin made a huge sweep with her arms, almost knocking Hanayo’s phone out of her hand, “hottie heiress you stole from her tower. Everyone’ll go wild.” Rin stuck her tongue out at Maki.

“Well, Nico did do that.” Nico’s smug look made Maki pause her throwing a pillow at Rin action to smash Nico with it, “Hey, what was that for?”

“I proposed to you.”

“But only because Nico…”

Maki didn’t want to hear whatever Nico’s brag was going to be and just leaned in, kissing the Super Idol silent. Umi paled. Kotori giggled as Honoka cheered. Rin rolled away and Hanayo quietly put her phone down after capturing the image for Nico’s TWIG feed.

A quiet chuckle pulled everyone not kissing’s attention away from the screen and to their non Muse guest, Ryuen Shizu. “Are you always this...insane when you get together?

“Yes,” Umi’s tone carried the weight of years.

“You need to be here when Nozomi’s here, that’s the real crazy.” Rin flipped over, hanging off the couch upside down to watch Shizu packing boxes onscreen, “Hey, you’re in two places.”

Shizu glanced at Nico, but Nico was still making out with Maki, so then she turned to Honoka as the only other person she’d really ever talked to, “Is she serious?”

“Rin? Seriously silly.”

“You betcha.” Rin did an ab crunch, pillow poised to launch and knocked Maki out of her embrace with Nico. “Ha! Gotcha.”

Maki took the pillow and without breaking eye contact with Nico, tossed it back toward Rin, actually hitting Hanayo, who squealed and dropped her phone. This launched Rin at Maki, pulling the taller girl into a wrestling hold

“Nico?” Shizu asked quietly, now that Nico was laughing at Maki, not kissing her.

“Huh?” Nico took a minute to get acclimated back to the watch party, “Oh, Shizu-chan? What’s wrong?”

Shizu scooted closer, almost whispering, “Is the tour going to be like this?”

Nico shook her head, “No. Nico is a total pro. You and Maki will record and livestream, Nico will rehearse with the dancers, and you’ll open each show. There’s a lot of travel time.”

“And halfway through, Kayo-chin and I will visit and there will be fireworks and pillow fights every night.”

Maki had Rin in a chokehold, “Not if I don’t reserve you a hotel room.”

“Nico.” Rin whined, “You won’t let her leave us out. Kayo-chin’s your biggest fan.”

“No, she’s not. Take that back.” Maki growled.

“Rin.” Hanayo turned away from both screens, “Don’t make Maki mad.”

“Don’t care. She can’t keep me away.”

Umi was now standing over Maki, a steady hand on her shoulder, “Let Rin go.”

Kotori was whispering something distracting in Honoka’s ear or Nico thought there surely would have been a third in the WrestleMania portion of the evening.

With a grumble, Maki released Rin and flumped next to Nico.

“I pressed pause. Do you want me to start up again?” Hanayo asked.

“Nico’s tired.” Nico exaggerated a yawn. Maki got a hopeful gleam.

Kotori stood up, sliding her arm through Umi’s, “Let’s go back to Honoka’s, Umi-chan. I want a snack.”

“C’mon, Kayo-chin, we can walk with them and finish it at our place.” Rin pulled Hanayo off the couch.

“All right.” Hanayo agreed reluctantly, looking back at the screen.

“See you soon, Maki.” Rin waved cheerfully.

“Sure.” Maki was back to staring at Nico.

Shizu waited for someone to say something, but then realized no one was going to pay attention to her. She stood.

“I’m going to go up to my room. Thank you for your hospitality, Nishikino-san.”

“Maki.” Maki waved in a random direction.

Nico had a hand sliding around Maki’s shoulder to get tangled in her hair, “Remember, we have a breakfast meeting.”

“Of course. Good night.”

“Good night.”

The kiss started before the door closed, and in one of the pauses, Nico whispered, “You’re going to miss them.”

Maki shook her head, curls bouncing as she drew Nico back on the couch, “Not for a month.”

Nico laughed. Being an Idol House producer had more perqs than being an Idol House resident, hands on time with Maki being the best.

Maki pulled away, blushing, “What’s funny, Nico-chan?”

“How everything works out.”

“As long as I’m right here, with you, I don’t care.”

Nico, as much as her head was full of future plans and successes and pitfalls, let herself get lost in the intimacy of having Maki so near and was surprised to find herself in full agreement, “Me neither.”

“Good.” And then somehow, Maki’s lips made the gentlest touch against Nico’s, an invitation igniting an inferno.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanksgiving here. Having a quiet day building a Christmas playlist to write to. Drop a song or favorite holiday trope in the comments, please and thank you.

**Author's Note:**

> Howdy! Hoodie weather is here, I'm making things up as I go along, and I hope you are all well.
> 
> Also, please register to vote and/or make a voting plan if you are an American citizen. https://www.rockthevote.org/ is a good resource.


End file.
